Dan Reichow

No side work - Legally it can come back to haunt you and your shop - We offer are tech's a commision over and above to bring thier Reffereals , Family , Friends to the shop.

Your name is on the shirt he probaly wears doing side work and or gets the parts . Just messy - We lost a very good tech doing this but guess what the next two jobs he was let go for too much side work.

Thanks Dan R.

We mark up premium filters to our fleets at 1.7 . The issue about free install Most shop's do not show labor charge for a filter , not worth the battle we add it into are retail price , tech gets compensated. It is not labor and parts to fight about--- what do you want to make and what the costumer percieves - Most client's it would be a debate for labor on an air filter.

My Belief Dan Reichow

I would have dropped the suspicious bearing and a rod bearing to review before reassembly , I also would have let the client know may be more damage before reassembly his and or her choice , to continue.

Thansk Dan R.

More then not They were explained what was what was wrong with the vehicle and what it detailed for repair . I agree with the other post they found someone that says they will do for less.

We would talk with them and explain the process over again and find out what the true reason for declineing completion. Obviously we would charge any time and materials used up to the point of canceling, this usually sways them from going else where due to thier is no savings.

If it is price - Explain the benifits you give over others this is why you charge what you charge - Warranty , Quailty of products , 12 months same as cash , etc.

With out knowing type of repair and real reason hard to give to much help.

Thanks Dan

I got online and reviewed Repair Jungles site , not sure what the issue is we have a half a dozen sites out thier now , some of us as shop owners use software that are partners with these estimating sites.

The one thing that did shine on thier site is that the client will have reviews to look at and lets face it , most clients our already looking at reviews to help determine the shop they will use.

My belief window is that clients our still looking for Quality first , Convienance ,Warranty, Then Price.

With this said I think you can use any of these sites without being the lowest.

We as shop owners have a tough road to follow with the internet influence. We still have not even touched the surface of what one will do and what is to come out of the internet.

I do not belong to any of these sites nor do I intend to. I still like the most of who is on this forum believe to keep a clean , well trained staff and give more then is asked for will win the majority of the time.

Thanks Dan

My Supplier and I had a long talk today about parts quality brand preferrence. He stated he has been approched from several clients about comeback and or never leave parts issues.

I told him Cardone is the major supplier I stay away from. They have lousy client service and technical staff . We had a dodge pickup that came from another shop , they installed a rack and pinion and could not align properly and threw thier hands up.

Upon inspection could get steering wheel straight but only a few threads on tie rod left . We inspected for proper new tie rod ends found to be right, Cardone hot line wanted us to inspect steering shaft to make sure no issue. After a few frustrating days working with Cardone and others. I asked my Tech to pull the sector shaft or imput shaft and rotate it one Align perfect with proper amount of turns.

With all this said I pushed Cardone for lost time claim and inspect thier racks on this model , We got another to make sure was just only one that happened to clocked wrong and the new one was clocked wrong.

Cardoen Technical Department was to get in a like and kind pickup and have thier product tested and compared to. Al From Cardone was to accomplish I Followed up in a Few months always blew me off.

The really disturbing issue is they said when they go to rebuild items they buy an item from a recycling yard and use a template. So with that said if they get a salvage part someone has altered they our going to rebuild to those specs. This Al was a trip.

The client was unhappy due to thier was out of pocket expense Cardone and the parts house the other shop used, So we were not a winner .

Gues what almost a year later the client come in Rack Leaking, No problem Well Guess what We had to clock that rack input shaft.

As spoken here Cardone is one of the few players left? so it does put installers in a situation.

I guess it would not be so bad if manufactures would give us some credit not all of the industry screws up parts and is our faults - just many manufactures do the trash can test and say no credit deserved.

In Closing - After 33years I cannot believe how they do not have pepole in place and unwilling or suprised when we send in a claim with wave forms before and after , digital pictures , vidieo , We recently Taped a noise with our phone before changing an idler pulley defect.They do not know how to answer.

We had a fuel pump claim turned down nothing wrong they said. Puts out volume perfect. I called them Did you read why it was returned- Was not running conditon was gas gauge issue did not read full when full. Guy goes oh!!.

My belief is the manufactuer and parts house should have a portal to file a claim and insert documents , pictures , print outs and contact person so if thier is a concern all the info is not going through 4 - 5 pepoles hads to get mistruded.AND IS HELPING THE GREEN EFFORT.

We just got hit / Reclassified three service advisors to Tech's $3,500.00 extra Ohio.

The end result we pay , pay for governments disfunctions.

We our in an audit today and my accountant is handling and they say the same thing rate as technicians.

Thier is a blog that says if we make a new class for service advisors , tech rates would go up so shut up and let be.

I would like to know what about the shops that pay thier employees under the TABLE , PARTS STORES THAT INSPECT CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS , INSTALL BATTERRYS , OIL , WIPER BLADES ETC. WHAT DO THIER COUNTER PEPOLE RATE IS.

WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CANNOT BALANCE THEY PREVAIL!!!

I know this will be a battle, but I cannot sit on my hands when I know that shops in New York and probably around the country are paying too much for workers compensation insurance, when it comes to their service staff.

 

I employ 7 mechanics, 3 service advisors and office personnel. My service advisors are true service advisors. They do not turn wrenches, they do not get their hands dirty and they are not subjected to any of the same hazards as the mechanics. They might get a paper cut once in a while, but that’s it. But, I pay workers comp insurance for my service advisors at the same rate as mechanics. And, I am sure there are a lot of other shop owners in the same boat.

 

New York state workers compensation board has no classification for service advisors and consequently the rate we pay for workers comp for them is the same as the mechanics. Which means each year thousands of dollars are wasted needlessly? I know that the State needs money, and going down this road may seem futile, but I am going down the road anyway. I am working with the local Trade Organization and trying to get a meeting set up with the compensation board.

 

I would like to hear from other shops in New York, send me your thoughts on this and opinions. The more information we have the better.

 

In addition, I would like to hear from shops around the country on their workers compensation laws with respect to mechanics and service advisors.

 

Any help would be appreciated on this matter.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Joe Marconi

I have used Mechanicnet for several years now. It has proven to be some the best bang for my buck in keeping my customers coming back. They have improved their services and funtions as the industry and their competion has dictatated. They do not require a long term contract as far as I know. I can do email marketing to my customers free of charge. Many of my cutomers and also new customers find me at the web site they set up and request appointments. This feature is great. I have their competition calling me and buging me to change and I just cannot see why I should change my CRM provider. I am sure the others can do a good job also....but the bottom line is a shop that is not doing CRM is losing customers and probaly does not know it.

Very true , need to touch a customer often , but not to often to become a nusiance.

Thats what it sounds like, it sure sounds good but I will road test it and let you know. The good thing is there is no contract.

Sounds good / Track everything you do and make the offer so strong they cannot refuse.

Correctly if I'm wrong, but Mitchell revamped thier CRM program? Correct?

Yes they did but when talking to my sales rep , it cannot do what I want is the flexabilty of ad design , offers , special promotions at any time.

He could not tell me what differences the new program has. He could not Tell me why I should come back over using demand force.

I am not knocking Mitchells was not for me it has been a cut and paste system like many others.

What we need to see the vendors of these programs do/ is like Scan tools and other software companies is a side by side comparision sheet of options and benifits. What is done in house and what is a joint venture and with whom.

The best option is to do it yourself , but again Mitchell controls your email list ?.

In closing if you do not track your marketing efforts you do not what is working and why, you cannot go by the figures these compay's state you prospered by using them . Did they come in on a coupon , Past client , Just broke down or time for maintenance , If this is the only marketing you do then it may have some merit. Most shops have many way they our promoting for customers action to come in .

Any program is good if you need that sopke in the wheel to full fill the marketing need.

IN CLOSING --- TRACK TRACK TRACK RESULTS ASK CLIENTS WHY THEY OUR IN TODAY AND WHAT VENUE BROUGHT THEM IN.l

Was not Happy with Mitchells program.

How long ago did you try Mitchell?

We used it up to a year ago.

what I see even now they our just adding bits and pieces from other programs from other vendors.

We currently use Demand Force / We also use Valpack / Two local Papers in our community.we send out at least once a year Direct mail.

Dan Reichow.

Was not Happy with Mitchells program.

My Wife And I did ATI , I would say that most critics say they our expensive.

Although I know it is a lot of monies , but it is a lot of monies to go out of business or lose monies each year. We in the Repair industry leave a lot of monies on the table each and every day.

The plus's I like about Ati - Great coach's that hold your feet to the fire , Weekly contact ,Kpi portal, The training on site along with the networking of other shop's on a constant basis if you go to the training. Convention every year if you want a refresher and visit with shops that want change like your self. Need to talk with the owner he is thier.

You talk about commitment of TWO YEAR'S - it take's tow year's to get most pepole turned around , 1- In thought 2- doing processes efficeintly -3- Mindset. 4- [ If you listen and instill the knowledge [ financial gain ] .

ATI did not do everything for us , but it did get me to think and find answer's to my issues . We listened and took advice from many sources of other trainers in the market place.

All Programs have good and bad in them , but many do not hold FEET TO THE FIRE and even when done with our course they help me if I need it.

Our paticular coach Geoff was Great and with Brian which runs the day to day programs great team.

We continue to do mentoring with Score they our a goverment agency of retired individuals , from markeing to cpa's that will help you for free.

If thier is a Score program near you check it out.

We personnaly have a long way to go yet but in six years We went from $900,000 in mechanical to 1.7 Million . Is our bottom line where we want it no!. We our in one of the hardest hit area's with the depression.

If you our ready pick something and go for it . as they say GET R DONE. Hope this helps

we will open for that monday as well as new year monday

Just wondering again what everyone is doing the day after Christmas; Open or Closed?

1- Brought Christ into my life Sooner !.

2- Learned Marketing Techniques Sooner . We our not in Auto Repair / We our a marketing company that provides Auto Repair

Thanks Dan R.s

Please answer this question...

 

"If only I had ______________________________ , my business would be so much better."

 

(I realize you may have more than one answer, but only list the top one or two 'wishes' that immediately pop into your head.)

Did you use Factory mount / Also I belive thier is three mounts plus one or two Stabilizer shock . We ran into the same issue with aftermarket mounts / cured sagged and broken but not vibration.

Thanks Dan R.

Several bullentins on this car for vibrations

A first time customer, referred to us by another customer, brought her 2003 Honda V6 Accord to us for a vibration problem felt through the steering wheel only at idle, in drive, with the car stopped. The vibration is more prominent when she begins to turn the steering wheel. The vibration is slight, but it’s there.

 

We did find a broken engine mount and replaced it. The customer says it’s “slightly” better, but the problem is not solved. We have gone thru the car with a fine tooth comb and found nothing else wrong. The car only has 50k on the clock and is in pristine condition and well maintained (I saw her records).

 

She said the problem started a year ago when the Dealer did a Power Steering flush and Transmission flush.

 

Does anyone have any ideas or help? Has anyone seen any issues with a vibration in the steering wheel after a Power Steering flush service was performed? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Did you use O/E mount - Yes all should be replaced thier is actually three plus I believe stablizer shock . The aftermarkets sloves the broken but not vibration.

We use torque sticks then- hand torque .

We have a stamp that informs the client to come back in 200 miles for retorque and have them intial about 90 % come back.

We still have clients complain to tight when they try to remove the tires , but with the o/e equipped or handiman tools it is hard on some.

hope this helps

I am considering implementing a direct mailing campaign next year. I recently accuired the business along with the previous owner's Mitchell system and database which goes back 8 years. How far should I go back into the database when deciding who to send mailers to? I am concerned about changed addresses, people who moved, etc.

 

Does anyone have a suggestion on a vendor that does this?

Try a company named Demand Force we have had great success for your Mitchell's system

Direct Mail - Go to PostCard Mania We have great succes and pricing is in line. They can scrub your list - would do all eight years.

My suggestion is get it scrubbed - do one mailing to all to try to connect with old clients or generate clients from the old street adress now living thier.

Company Called [ Mudlick has a good program ]

When mailing use a label the states [ name of person or Current resident ] this way it will get delivered.

Thanks Dan R.

Thanks for the respnose Dan. Part of the reason for a service advisor is when I need to be away from the shop I must close up or I have left my apprentice there for a few hours if I have to. I would like business to go on if I have to be away. If I have a service advisor with tech experience and an apprentice I could leave if I have to. Right now everything depends on me.

This is a rough position we all have been thier starting out. One thing tech experiance is not your best sales person on front counter we have found.

You need to figure out which is best for your business plan , hiring an service advisor can make or break your business. You have explained you do a lot of the expertise of your reapir side , can you hire yourself to do the mechanical. It still will be hard to leed when you are busy with the wrench's. Thier are many dedicated s/a's but you own the buisness and not being at the counter will not build boneding and committment that a business neeeds to servive today's competition.

I hate the frt , but it was a decision after taking ATI training that was needed for our business model to servive. I loved wrenching and was an excellent tech. By changeing and getting the owners up frt we have increased revenue and stabilized profit. We still have hard work each day due to the economy. The roller coaster effect is an cop out for slow times , need to make a bwetter marketing plan if you still have a roller coaster effect.

This may be harsh but most shops wait for work to come in , We aggressively seek work every day.

Thanks Dan R.